Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Always be joyful.17Never stop
praying.Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who
belong to Christ Jesus.1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT

In the movie, Meet the Parents,
Ben Stiller offers a prayer at a family meal time that was awkward. Ben,
playing the part of Greg, when he was asked to pray, didn’t know what to say.
He began addressing God with words outside his normal vocabulary. He used a
voice different than his normal conversational tone. It was so noticeable
several opened their eyes to see what changed.

He soon exhausted any original
thoughts, so he began to quote the words to the Godspell tune, Day by day these
three things I pray: to see Thee more clearly, to love Thee more dearly and to
follow Thee more nearly day by day by day. Amen!

I laugh every time I see the
movie clip because I can identify! Maybe you are laughing now remembering the
scene. What isn’t funny is finding yourself in the in the place where you want
to pray but don’t know what to say.

Prayer at its essence is simply
talking to God. You can pray aloud, under your breath, or simply by thinking
thoughts in your head toward God, and He hears. Speak to Him
conversationally. No special prayer voice or preacher’s vocabulary is
necessary.

I admit it does seem a little odd
in the beginning to talk aloud to someone you can’t see. To focus you may close
your eyes. But remember, closing your eyes or folding your hands isn’t a
requirement. You already have the attention of the Creator of the Universe.

Know that He loves you so much He
died for you and nothing pleases Him more than for you to talk to Him. He longs
to hear your voice. Include God in your everyday life, and you’ll find you have
a relationship moving away from ritual or routine toward love.

Monday, October 29, 2012

I no longer call you servants because a servant does not know his
master’s business. Instead I have called you friends for everything that I
learned from my father I have made known to you.John 15:5 NLT

Maybe it sounds dramatic or presumptuous to imagine that you could
become a friend of God. He spoke the universe into existence. He created
mountains, oceans, prairies, and glaciers. And aren’t they beautiful!

He designed the ecosystems of our world. He was born into the very
world He gave life. He experienced the best life had to offer and the worst.

He took the sin of the world on His shoulders when He died a cruel
death on the cross to satisfy the curse of sin. This Jesus wants to be your
friend. When you choose to live the SENT lifestyle of Jesus you continue the
work of the Father. Jesus sees you as a friend.

Since you are a child of God you are also a brother or a sister.
This is your identity. This is your destiny. Don’t let anyone or anything deter
you from pursuing an intimate relationship with the One who risked everything
for you.

A relationship deepens when you spend unhurried time together. It
is no different in learning to relate to God. Lovers want to learn all they can
about one another. Read God’s Word often. Get to know Him to understand Who He
is and what He desires in relationship.

Developing a friendship with God is similar to developing a human
relationship, but there are a dramatic differences. The relationship you
develop with God will be the most important and rewarding investment you ever
make.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because
our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.Romans 5:11 NLT

The lunchroom was packed. The new school year at Gulf-Coast Bible
College had started days earlier. Some students were in the lunch room to see
if the food was edible. Others went to meet the new crop of girls, oh,
excuse me, I mean students. After I went through the line to fill my plate, I
stood for some time looking for a place to sit.

Finally, I saw the only two open spaces in the room; they were
immediately across from each other. I navigated my way through the chatty students
and made my way to the seats. I sat my plate down to hold my spot and headed
for the salad bar.

When I returned I noticed someone had the same idea and had captured the
other open space. I didn’t give it much thought. I had a lot on my mind and my
main goal that day was to eat then get on to the more exciting parts of
the day. I was barely seated when a cute girl with green eyes and long blonde
hair sat down across from me. I learned her name was Belinda, and she was from
Kentucky. The day had just radically improved!

To hear the rest of the story you’ll want to read the book backwards.
I’m not given to romantic stories but this one has a divine twist!

I never get tired of telling that story, but there is a reason beyond
the fact that I love my wife. Relationships take time. They are built
experience on experience. And here is the good news, The God of the universe
wants a relationship with you!

Beginning a relationship with God is similar to the way we develop human
relationships. They grow over time as we invest in them. Often we weren’t
looking for the relationships that became primary in our lives, just like
I wasn’t looking for Belinda. Although we may not be looking for a relationship
with God, He is looking for us. He is looking for you. He will reveal Himself
to you in multiple ways over time.

Open your eyes and your heart to Him and you will see that His
fingerprints are everywhere. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Once you express
that desire to Him you can be certain that He will find you. You will begin to
explore what it is like to become a friend of God.

Have you experienced a life in relationship with Him? What is it that
you could do right now to grow in your relationship with Jesus?

Thursday, October 25, 2012

For we are God’s masterpiece.
He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned
for us long ago.Ephesians 2:10 NLT

My good friend, Steve Papa found
a relationship with Jesus when I challenged him to explore faith. I told him I
would never talk to him about God again if he would honestly give God a chance
to reveal Himself. Steve did and God did in a most unusual way.

God spoke through the scriptures
in the Bible in such a way that Steve couldn’t deny His existence. Steve
resisted a few more months but one night he knelt beside his bed, with his wife
Linda, and chose to begin a personal relationship with Jesus. He asked Jesus to
forgive his sins and invited Him to lead His life. He experienced amazing grace
and he has never been the same.

My former secretary, Judy
Burrell, loved Steve but often smiled at him and told him to “Keep it clean.”
You can imagine her surprise and joy when Steve grew in his relationship to the
point that he found his sweet spot leading the student ministry at a local
church. Today Steve is a passionate follower of Jesus living SENT. Steve and
Linda are so excited about what God has done in their lives that they are
generous donors including helping to underwrite the printing of this book.

It is true for all of us,
spiritual formation is a journey. There are several recognizable decision
points along the way. We all grow as a disciple of Jesus at our own pace. Just
like a physical body naturally matures, if it is healthy, so you will discover
that the life of Jesus naturally grows in you. What He needs from you is
cooperation. Are you cooperating?

Allow me to use Steve's story as
an illustration of Spiritual Formation. Stage one I call Exploring because we each go through a time of searching for truth.
Stage two I call Beginning. In this
stage a person accepts Jesus as their Savior and Leader. Stage three I call Growing. This is where the believer
determines to grow to be like Jesus. Stage four I call SENT. This is the Jesus life where one lives on purpose, on mission
all the time. SENT is the combination of loving God, loving people and living
out the love of Jesus.

I met Steve when he was
definitely Exploring. For seven years I shared my story and His story but Steve
didn't budge. He even asked me to quit as I referenced above. But Linda, his
wife led him to Jesus, and he moved to stage two. He was Beginning. There were
plenty of rough spots but Steve was committed to Growing to be like Jesus. He
worked on every one of the 3Ls and he allowed the Holy Spirit to work on him.
Now Steve and Linda are living SENT.

What stage of spiritual growth
are you in? Where do you want to be? Will you commit today to asking the Holy
Spirit to get you where He wants you to go? And will you pledge your complete
cooperation?

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

If you would rather watch than
read click here:http://youtu.be/LNhV3EEI3jAJust as you sent me into the world, I am sending
them into the world.John 17:18 NLT

I wish you could meet my former neighbors, Jon and Glynis DeWitt.
When I first met Jon at my neighbor’s pool party, Jon was the life of the
party. Every time I saw him he would ask me what time church started. From the
time Jon started asking, the time never changed and neither did the question.

One Sunday I was surprised to see him at church. He told me
afterward that he’d hit rock bottom the night before. He looked up for God and
found Jesus didn’t condemn him. In fact, he was blown away by the grace
extended to him.

A few weeks later Glynis came to church on a mission to find my
wife, Belinda. She wore a pair of old sweats, didn’t wear any make-up and
didn’t care. There was just one thing on her mind and that was to find what Jon
found. Belinda prayed with her and they cried tears of joy together.

Their marriage which was tenuous at best began to improve. As Jon
and Glynis grew closer to Jesus they grew closer to each other. What they
couldn’t heal on their own began to recover and grow stronger with God’s help.
Their desires and behaviors changed. Their trust grew and they began to enjoy
life and marriage in a whole new way.

One Monday about 8:00 A.M., I heard a knock at my door. It was
Jon. He came in and sat down. With a concerned look on his face he said, What
am I supposed to do?

He wanted others to find what He found in Jesus. He knew of
several marriages that were suffering like his was. He felt love for people he
didn’t even know in the community. He wondered if he should go door to door
telling everyone the Good News. He wasn’t joking!

We talked about a lot of things that morning that you will read in
this book--like how to grow spiritually, the importance of living in community,
how to share your faith with others and more.

Jon and Glynis found an authentic way to live SENT that fits them
well and nothing could make me happier. I want that for you too.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect... because we live
like Jesus here in this world.1 John 4:17 NLT

I’m a visual guy so it helps me to have a target in mind if I am to grow
to be like Jesus. I get it that becoming like Christ happens in relationship
but what does it look like in everyday life? Have you ever wondered? Here is a
way that helps me visualize the behaviors that are the natural outcomes of a
life lived like Jesus. It is what I've come to call the SENT circle.

Imagine with me a circle with three colorful sections, one blue, one
yellow and one green with the word SENT in the center. These represent the
three primary characteristics of a Jesus follower.

Love God

A person who follows Jesus has a true heart of love for God. This comes
from knowing Him and spending time with Him. Worship, prayer and reading the
Bible are all ways that we grow in our understanding and appreciation of who he
is. This can be an absolute delight!

Love People

We were created from relationship for relationship. We are better
together and the closer we draw to God the closer we get to one another. Those
who find their way back to God become family. We live in community and through
us the love of God reaches those who don’t yet know Him.

Live Out the Love
of Jesus

We become the hands and feet of Jesus as we serve others in His name. We
discover the reality that is more blessed to give than to receive. Through us
heaven touches earth and earth becomes more like heaven.

LIVING SENT

This is the Jesus’ life where we are living for something greater than
self. It is a life lived on mission, on purpose, all day, all the time. Jesus
said, As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you. John 20:21 NLT

At different times I’m stronger in one of these behaviors than the
others but as I grow in one the others also get stronger. It isn’t linear, as
if one comes after the other. They all work together to produce the Jesus’ life
which I call Living SENT.

Maybe you would pray with me, God, form the image of Christ in me and
make me more like Jesus.

Monday, October 22, 2012

The Word became human and made
his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.John 1:14 NLT

We are not created to live life
alone. I was tempted to doubt whether God had my best interests in mind. I
wasn’t sure I could trust Him after Megan’s death. But He knew exactly where I
was and what I was going through. He knew how to reach me and He did.

I’ve heard it said, When you
can’t find God start praying and He will find you.

God carried me and my family
through the grieving process and over time brought us to a place of healing.
We’ve shared generously with others what we learned in our grief. Day by day
God brought truth and people into our lives who led us lovingly into
restoration. We will always miss Megan but we are no longer debilitated and we
are stronger for our journey of loss.

Here is the great truth I’ve
learned about life—it is all about relationship. God desires relationship with
me and with you. He wants to do life together.

When Jesus came to teach us how
to find relationship with the Father and the Spirit He did it by coming to
earth and calling disciples to share life with Him. He didn’t simply point them
to His Word He lived truth out in their presence.

His goal was that by being with
Him they would become like Him. Have you noticed that people who spend a lot of
time together begin to act alike? As incredible as it might seem Jesus believes
we can become like Him. Here is the key—we do it by being with him in our
everyday life. It is all about relationship with him.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

God loved the world so much
that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will
not perish but have eternal life.John 3:16 NLT

Everyone eventually comes to the
place where they meet their own mortality and realize they can’t do life alone.
That time came for me at 2 a.m. on May 22. I couldn’t sleep because the pain
was too great.

My mind was racing and it
wouldn’t stop no matter how much I prayed. Belinda was crashed on the couch in
the living room. We both were dealing with grievous tragedy. Our precious baby
daughter, Megan, 21, months old, had died in her sleep the previous morning. We
had been left to do the unthinkable, to put the pieces of our lives back
together without our youngest child.

In my grief I cried out to God.
It was incredulous to me that He had allowed Megan to die. How could He?

My heart hurt beyond whatever
capacity for pain I thought I had. I don’t know that I really expected to hear
anything back from Him but in the darkness of that moment, in my spirit, I
heard something I believe came from God, I know how you feel, my Son died too.

That got my attention! I sat up. Was
God speaking to me? Once I recovered from the surprise, it brought me comfort
to know God was there with me in the pain. After a brief pause the thought
continued, And I willingly sent My Son to die so you could live.

This was unthinkable that God
would willingly choose for His only Son to die. Yet that is exactly the choice
the Father God made. He sent His Son Jesus to pay for the sin of the world, for
my sin and for yours.

Incredible! The love of God was
never more real to me than it was at that moment. I felt His presence and His
comfort was salve to my soul. He wasn’t distant. He was close.

Our healing will take a lifetime
but it began with the realization God pursued relationship with me when I was
at my worst. He is there with you too at this very moment, inviting
relationship with you. Open your heart to Him.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Anyone who belongs to Christ
has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

Following Jesus leads to a life
of adventure. It means we accept that we live for a purpose greater than self.
I call it living SENT. By that I mean that we choose to join Jesus in His
mission of redemption. He is out to exchange old useless habits and self-defeating
choices for a life filled with meaningful reconciliation.

When we delay this choice our
life turns into a tug-of-war. You’ve been there. Some days it feels like you
are winning and other days it seems like you are being drug in a direction you
don’t want to go.

I call this--the tug of war
between living for self and living SENT. Will you live for a purpose higher
than self? Will you dare to believe that life could be different?

I made the choice to follow Jesus
and I’ve never regretted it. Be sure to read the story about the day a toilet
was transformed into an altar! It’s crazy, I know.

You can be sure there were times
I dropped the rope in this tug of war but the great thing is Jesus didn’t. He
stayed there for me, rock solid, until I accepted his grace and started to pull
with him again. And let me tell you, when He is on your side, the right side
wins the tug-of-war.

Is it time for a change in your
life? Do you need Someone to pull with you? Do you feel drawn to God’s love?

Invite God to reveal Himself to
you right now. Say, Yes to His invitation. He does for you what you can’t do
for yourself. He redeems all that is good in you, and He cleans out what
doesn’t belong. When I said, Yes, to God I felt incredibly clean on the inside.
I want that new beginning for you!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Have you ever experienced the
feeling, that life seems harder than it should? Maybe you’ve even said,There must be a better way!Like my excursion, life is better when
you turn around and go the direction the guide advises. Your kayak slices
through the water. Steering is easier. Your efforts are more productive. You get
along with others better. You can enjoy the journey.

This bookbackwards:
Created to Live SENT describes
how to find your way back to God and become like Jesus. You were made in His
image. Isn’t it time to learn how to truly live?

To get started you need a change
of direction. The Bible uses the word "repent" for this turn-around.
In the Greek language, the word for repent is "metanoeo", and it
means to turn around and go the complete opposite direction. It is like doing a
180 degree U-turn.

It is like you were sitting
backwards in the boat. You choose to accept the leadership of Jesus based not
on what you can do but on what He’s already done for you. You invite Him to
lead, and you chose to follow. The surroundings haven’t changed yet, but you
are reoriented. It is a whole new way of living.

Following initially feels
backwards but rather quickly it feels like a fit. Before long you may find
yourself thinking, I believe I was made for this.

Will you join me today in saying
to God, Forgive me for going my own way. You take the lead and I’ll follow? It
is never too late to turn around.

What is it in your life that
needs a turn-around? Jesus is the initiator of second chances and new
beginnings. Listen to your Guide and live life as He designed it to be lived.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Come, follow me, and I will
show you how to fish for people!Matthew 4:19 NLT

Finally, we came to the
realization that our alternatives were limited. Belinda and I did what we had
to do. We quit complaining. We stopped fighting each other. Belinda started
paddling again, and I paddled opposite her changing sides when she changed. We
improved enough to steer in the general direction. Eventually, we began to
catch up with the others. We wouldn’t win a prize for our tactics, but with two
strong wills, we found a way to make it work.

I must admit that I was pretty
proud when we caught that last wave and coasted onto the beach. The guide
grabbed the front of our kayak to steady it so we could get out. Then he peered
at us with an astonished look on his face and exclaimed, In all my years I’ve
never seen that before! You traveled the whole trip going backwards! How did
you do that?

No wonder it was so hard!
Evidently, we were supposed to get in the kayak facing the shore. We didn’t
know that. Ideally when you push off backwards the first thing you do is turn
toward the waves. We got into the kayak facing the waves and launched into
them. I guess we should have listened to our guide more closely! Suddenly, the
struggle for the last hour and one half made a lot more sense. The entire boat
is engineered to work facing the other way!

Have you experienced the feeling
that life seems harder than it should be. Maybe you missed the details or
someone else in your world isn’t cooperating. It isn’t unusual that what
appears to be a rather simple and fun exercise instead turns into an unexpected
ordeal.

What if you are functioning
backwards? What if you think you are supposed to be leading in life and in
reality you were designed to follow?

It’s normal to live your life
believing you were born to be in control. Isn’t life all about you? It is about
having what you want and the freedom to do as you please—that’s what brings
happiness. Right?

The problem is that it doesn’t
work so well in everyday life. Before long you find yourself arguing,
complaining and competing with others who believe the same thing—that it is all
about them. And after you’ve both tried harder AND threatened to quit, you
eventually come to the place where you are dead in the water.

I’m not the fastest or brightest
student of life or kayaking, but I’ve come to an astonishing discovery: I am
made for more and you are too! There is a better way! Life is better when you
turn around and go the direction the Guide advises. You slice through the
water. Steering is easier. Your efforts are more productive. You get along with
others better. You can enjoy the journey.

In this book,backward:
Created to Live SENTwe
discover the benefit of living life, not for selfish purposes, but as God
designed. It is a life that is filled with on-purpose living. This brings great
adventure and amazing satisfaction. Let’s listen to the Guide and get started.

Monday, October 15, 2012

There is a path before each
person thatseemsright, but it ends in death.Proverbs 14:12 NLT

Imagine this, the beautiful blue
Caribbean ocean; no clouds in sight; gentle tropical breezes and the surf is
up. It’s another day in paradise.

However, my life wasn’t picture
perfect. The idea seemed innocent enough. My wife, Belinda, and I were on
vacation. We set out that day with eight other couples to kayak along the coast
of an island. What could be better than that?

We listened as our guide
explained in detail how to get the kayak off the beach and avoid capsizing when
the first set of waves crested near the shore. However, afterwards Belinda and
I couldn’t agree on what we had just heard. The surf was loud and our
adrenaline was pumping. Belinda was nervous because she doesn’t swim well. I
was overconfident because I grew up in Alaska, and had spent a lot of time in a
canoe.

As we pushed off from the shore,
I said, You paddle on the right (her strong side), and I will paddle on the
left. The first big wave came at us and she paddled frantically on the right
and then switched to the left. I tried to correct her verbally and offset her
choices by paddling opposite her. That didn’t work because she kept changing
sides. I didn’t know which way she was going next and I was supposed to be
steering!

I tried desperately to guess her
next move and still keep us headed straight into the first big wave. To turn
sideways would be certain disaster. The wave hit. The bow went straight up in
the air. The surf splashed in our faces. We went down the other side with
incredible speed. Somehow we made it past the first wave upright. We were off
on a great adventure! Life is good! We can do this! Or so we thought.

Then the struggle for control set
in. We argued about how to steer the kayak and who should take which role. I
complained that everyone else seemed to have it figured out. I noticed and
pointed out that they were also cooperating. They were even smiling and
enjoying the experience. That didn’t help.

Belinda told me that if I was so
smart I could just paddle by myself and see how that worked. I said, That would
be an improvement! Belinda decided she had had enough and quit paddling
completely. Out of frustration I quit paddling too.

Dead in the water. That’s what
happens if you don’t paddle. Then the sea takes you wherever it wants you to
go. That was not good! We made apologies and started again. We tried harder. We
tried a LOT harder. By now the sun was blazing hot. Did I tell you there were
no clouds in sight? The fun factor was fading fast.

This is a good example of what
happens when two people are both on the “I want it my way” selfish path. It
might seem right in the heat of the moment but the end result is frustration.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Your love for one another will
prove to the world that you are my disciples.John 13:35 NLT

Several times in the life of the
church I pastor, The Indian Creek Community Church, we’ve done a project called
The Church Has Left the Building. On a selected Sunday, we have gathered
briefly and then dispersed across the city to serve. It wasn’t that we hoped to
do a good deed and then break our arm patting ourselves on the back. We wanted
to meet real needs and open the door for future partnership. Simply put, we
hoped to expose our congregation to community needs. I'm grateful that Tom
Bassford coined these terms because they are easy to remember and they give
clarity to the process of missional living.

Expose

Exposure opportunities are easy
on-ramps to service. The hope is that we might be awakened to the needs and the
potential around us. We want our people to build relationships and serve as if
we are the hands and feet of Jesus. We want to express his heart of compassion
in both large and small ways. We hope to introduce people to a lifestyle of
engagement.

Engage

All too often the only time the
neighborhood sees the church gathered is when they see the cars surround the
facility on a Sunday. While gathering and equipping has a place, Jesus said
that the world would know we are his disciples by our love. That calls for
relationship and for engagement. This step means you serve often enough where
you know the names of the people. You learn the needs and you allow your heart
to feel their feelings. You engage your gifts and give sacrificially.

Entangle

Eventually the need is for
everyone to find their mission. We all become missionaries when we take on
ownership. People who are entangled think about the mission like it is a
central part of their own life. They may stay awake at night imagining
solutions to problems or wake up early with new ideas.

Every follower of Jesus is called
to be a missionary (one who lives SENT) and most of us don’t get paid for what
we do! The mission field starts at the doorstep of your home. You can go
halfway around the world but you don’t have to in order to be a world changer.

Are you allowing Jesus to expose
you to the needs around you? Are you regularly engaged in meeting needs in a
specific place or ministry? Are you entangled so that mission is an integral
part of your everyday life?

Jesus said my purpose is to
give them (you) a rich and satisfying life.John 10:10 NLT

From birth forward it feels right
to look out for self but I believe there is a better way. Hi, my name is Gary
Kendall and I’m living backwards or so it seems.

We find it necessary at the
beginning of life to look out for self. It is part of self preservation. Then
it is natural as we grow to want to please ourselves. We all do it. It is a
part of self discovery. Let’s just admit it, we are born with a bent toward
selfishness.

At some point along the way, what
it healthy and natural in the beginning becomes pervasive. Before, until before
I know it, it is all about me. I want to have it my way and you do too. As the
song says, You can’t please everyone so you got to please yourself.

So initially to follow Jesus, may
seem backwards. But for as much as it feels right to serve self there is
disquiet in your soul that says, You were made for more. The truth is: You were
created in the image of God. He put a part of Himself in you. You were created
for relationship with Him.

Once you experience the richness
of this life with Him you will decide that doing life on your own is what is
backwards. You will discover that living for self is ultimately shallow. But
when you live for a purpose greater than self, you will discover true life.

Tomorrow I want to share a
humorous story that illustrated this truth for me. You can find the story in
Chapter 1 of the book, backwards: Created to live SENT

And don’t let us yield to
temptation,but rescue us from the evil
one.Matthew
6:9-13 NLT

When His disciples asked Jesus to
teach them to pray, He gave them what we’ve come to call, The Lord’s Prayer. I
believe Jesus intended this prayer to be a pattern for our prayer. Let’s
examine it, phrase by phrase.

First, the address

It is normal to address the
person to whom you speak, and it is natural to praise them. Jesus is speaking
to His Father, and our Father. He acknowledges that God is Holy (or set apart from all otherus). When you pray
start with praise for who God is and give thanks for what He has already done.Begin with a missional focus

Jesus puts the needs of the
kingdom of God first. May Your kingdom come soon. May Your will be done on
earth, as it is in heaven. Jesus prayed that what is normal in heaven becomes
normal on earth. By making this the first request He reminds us of our high
calling to first fulfill the will of the Father.

Petition

Next Jesus acknowledges we have
daily needs. He prays, Give us today the food that we need. Isn’t it great to
know that He cares about your needs? Whatever is important to you is important
to Him. Nothing is too small to escape His interest, and nothing is too big for
God.

Healing

Then He continues with a subject
matter we often like to avoid—broken relationships. Ask God to forgive you and
in the same way that you offer forgiveness to others who sin against you.

Victory

Conclude your prayer time by
asking for victory in your spiritual life. Pray to be strong against
temptations. I suggest you name them. And pray that God will deliver you from
the adversary of your soul often called the devil. Ask God to show you how
you can win in the most important battles of this life.

Keep in mind that the greatest
benefit to prayer is not necessarily the answers—it is the deepening of
relationship.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Dear Readers,My friend, Gary Kendall, has written an outstanding new book and study guide called,Backwards: Created to Live Sent. In addition to the book, Gary has 30 daily devotionals I would like to share with you over the next 6 weeks. So be prepared -- we're going back to 5 days per week.Here's a sample of what's ahead:What do you do with the tug-of-war you feel between living to serve self or living with the freedom to let go and live for something greater? Gary writes out of his own experience for those on the journey to find life at its best. The possibilities might feel backwards but at the same time surprisingly fulfilling.Gary is the lead pastor at Indian Creek Community Church in Olathe, Kansas which founded and has led for 27 years. Over those years, his congregation has been instrumental in planting a number of other churches and serving their community well.For more information on the book and Gary's ministry: livingsent.net